coarse, joyous laugh;
and the marquis, to his profound surprise, recognized in Stephano
Verrina the person with whom he had twice played so unsuccessfully at
the gambling house.

"Good, my lord!" exclaimed Verrina, flinging himself upon the ottoman
which the Jew had ere now occupied; "there is not in all Florence a man
whom I would rather have encountered than yourself."

"You are somewhat pressing for the trifle--the miserable trifle in which
I am indebted to you, signor," said the marquis haughtily; "seeing that
scarce two hours have elapsed since I lost the amount at the casino."

"Pshaw! who alluded to the affair, save yourself?" cried Stephano. "It
was for another motive----"

"Yes; and I also wished to see Signor Stephano Verrina for another
motive," exclaimed Manuel emphatically.

"Ah! then you know me, my lord?" said the bandit. "And yet methought I
was a stranger to you, although you were none to me at the casino."

"You were a stranger until now," continued Orsini; "but Isaachar knew by
the knock which you dealt so lustily on his door, who was his visitor."

"And your lordship was desirous to see me?"

"Very much so. I believe you expressed a similar wish?"

"Precisely, my lord," returned Stephano. "But as you hold the higher
rank in the world, precedence in the way of explanation belongs to your
lordship."

"It is rather an explanation which I seek, than one which I have to
give," rejoined Manuel, in a cold but resolute manner. "In a word, my
business with thee is touching the diamonds of the Duchess of Arestino."

"And my business with your lordship is touching the countess herself,"
observed Verrina, also in a cool and deliberate manner.

"Ah!" cried the marquis, with a sudden start.

"Yes, my lord. But this is no place for explanations on that head,"
added Stephano, glancing toward the Jew.

"I understand you, signor; we must confer alone," said the marquis. "We
will go out together presently; but in the meantime, one word concerning
the diamonds which the Countess of Arestino----"

"Employed me to procure for her," exclaimed Stephano, finishing the
nobleman's sentence for him. "I presume that old Isaachar here has
informed you of the particulars of my previous visit to him this
night--or rather last night, for it is now the Sabbath morning."

"I am well informed of those particulars, Sir Captain," returned Manuel;
"but I would fain know what has become of the jewels which you obtained
f